Types Of Introverts And STAR Model (Not All Quiet Is The Same)

One can always pinpoint introverts as having identical characteristics that not everyone knows: quiet, pensive, and socially withdrawn.

However, introversion is a matter of flavour and not all introverts behave or experience the same way. And that is where the STAR model by Dr. Jonathan Cheek comes in.

According to his studies at Wellesley College, Cheek and his associates put forward that introversion is one trait, but actually, it contains at least four dimensions: Social, Thinking, Anxious, and Restrained.

These somewhat similar yet different subtypes can help us to understand why one introvert can thrive on profound dialogue, and why another introvert will simply clam up in a group, or why one introvert will require a tremendous amount of room to think, and another introvert will be crippled by social anxiety.

Types of introverts STAR Model

Subtype of Introvert	Central Feature	Main Behaviors	Not to Be Mixed Up With
Social	likes to be alone or in small numbers	likes silent social occasions, just needs a break after a social encounter	is shy, or fearful of people
Thinking	Introspective, imaginative	Absent-minded, highly self reflective	social withdrawal
Worried	Insecure or socially awkward Ruminates	is socially ill at ease	Generalized anxiety disorder
The reserved Thoughtful	Do slower	Is a planner who takes his time to warm up	Indecisive or sluggish

The Social Introvert:

This kind likes person–he just does not like too many of them at a time. They like small groups, intimate bonding, and purposeful socialising rather than large gatherings.

Important Characteristics:

Prizes aloneness since it recharges
Does not avoid socializing but likes quality interaction
Likes prolonged chats with close friends
Is able to have a good time at parties – and has a getting-out strategy.

Example: A Social Introvert can go to a birthday dinner of a friend, but cannot come to the after-party. They are not antisocial; they simply have a small social battery.

The Introvert Thinker:

Their heads are their home, and these introverts love it there. These are introspective, imaginative, and creative, and in most cases, one can find them in their journals, daydreams, or creating worlds in their minds.

Important Characteristics:

Tendency to be philosophical or analytical
Likes to write, read, and think of him/herself sincerely
Being apprehended as a quiet genius or a creative misfits
Does not need to be shy but internally oriented.

Example: A Thinking Introvert can actively participate in a meeting and not say much not because they are daydreaming, but processing every word and coming up with a strategy mentally. Typical of: writers, inventors, researchers, daydreamers

The Fearful Shyness:

In contrast to the Social Introvert, who prefers to be quiet because he/she prefers it, the Anxious Introvert is nervous or timid in the presence of others, even in little groups. They never feel at ease before, during, and after the social activities.

Important Characteristics:

Too much overanalysis of conversation
Concerns about mentioning something wrong
May not prefer attending social events because they are afraid
Rerunning old social interactions in the brain is common to them

Example: An Anxious introvert may spend hours fearing receiving a call, then hours later repeat what he/she told. They are unable to take it easy and go with the flow, even when they are happy around other people.

Important Note: This condition is also related, but this is not the same as social anxiety disorder, a clinical condition. Worried introverts will not appear clinically, yet they will continue experiencing social awkwardness

The Reserve introvert:

This is the one who is also referred to as the inhibited or deliberate introvert. This type would move very slowly; it is not due to the lack of energy, but that the individual would like to think first before they make a move.

Important Characteristics:

Extremely careful, and not hasty in word and deed
Does not jump into decision-making or conversation
Seems to be low-energy, yet she is composed inside
Need a considerable number of playing hours to warm up to developing environments

Example: In a new job or a new relationship, a Restrained Introvert can come across as passive to start with, but when they have figured out what is going on, however, they gradually relax and become resourceful and in profound.

Why is it Important to Learn about these Types?

By having complete knowledge of what type of introvert you (or one of your friends might be, you can alter your relationship patterns, communication, as well as in the workplace.

An introvert may perform well in an individual client position
An Introvert thinker could be very good at doing things alone in a creative manner
The Structure and practice with an anxious introvert might help
A Controlled introvert can perform well in long-term, solid projects

According to the Research

What it says is that Dr. Jonathan Cheek’s STAR model reveals that introversion cannot be summed up into a single type (Cheek et al., 2011).
His group came up with tests to quantify these types, whereby a big proportion of the population matched two or more types of introversion.
Understanding these types helps psychologists design more effective therapy, career orientation, and social skills training tailored to the needs of individuals based on their personality.

General Characteristics of Introverts: (Research-based)

Each introvert, by individual definition, as well as according to his or her type, is different–but the decades of psychological study have revealed that the vast majority of introverts are characteristically the same when it comes to core behaviour traits, emotional characteristics, and cognitive styles. introversion traits are not some meaningless habits of the personality, but they are deeply grounded in neuroscience, theory of personality and evolutionary psychology.

To get a better sense of the general picture, it may be worth taking a closer look at the best-documented characteristics that are responsible in determining introversion, as well as scientific support, practical illustrations, and visual materials to draw the bigger picture.

Love of Solitude and Low Stimulation:

Introverts tend to gravitate towards quiet places of calmness. No, it has nothing to do with avoiding people, but it is the matter of stimulation control.

Introverts also find that excess noise, activity, or social feedback can become overwhelming according to Eysencks theory of introvert (1967) introverts have a higher baseline arousal.
Introverts tend to be exhausted by environments such as crowded events, open-plan offices or the busy cafes at a faster rate in comparison to what can be experienced by extroverts.

Example: Whereas an extrovert may be happy to work in a crowded coffee shop, an introvert will probably want to stay in a quiet corner in a library or go to an empty room at home.

Quality Over Quantity on the Social plane:

Introverts generally do not enjoy the small talk or group chatter-type conversations but prefer to have in-depth talks with someone. Research also indicates that introverts would prefer to have fewer but deeper relationships with regard to their emotional intimacies (Asendorpf, 1990). They are usually good at one-on-one conversations; deep listening and they thus make very loyal friends or even partners.

Example: One introvert might not show up at a team lunch but will be the first to talk to a CLOSE co-worker in the heart-to-heart when he or she is in trouble.

Highly Introspective as well as Self-awareness:

Introverts are known to take plenty of time on self-reflection which does not imply that they are insecure but instead they process about life within themselves.

Studies conducted by Jadzia Jagiellowicz et al. (2010) revealed that introverts have greater brain activation in the areas associated with internal processing, i.e., the anterior cingulate cortex. This increases their chances of hesitation which lead to reflection of the will to act, assessment of consequences and gained experience.

Example: An introvert can take hours to think through a conversation or a choice, including what was good and bad, and how it meant.

Imaginative and Self Thinking:

Creativity is also an aspect of introverts because to some extent they are self directed and internally-oriented. Other research studies (Martinsen,1995) have associated introversion with creativity which is high in writing, music, design, and problem solving. Their ability to be somewhat silent in their observations is a habit that enables them to make new connections that people may not be aware of.

Example: J.K. Rowling and Albert Einstein were also introverts. Their aloneness was not loneliness; it was the incubation of ideas

Need time to recharge their energy:

Introvert recharge after social events. Where extroverts get energized through social interactions, introverts frequently become exhausted during such situations even when they are having some fun.

This is not the case of a mood swing, or fatigue, but a physiological requirement to recover form the stimulation (Laney, 2002).

Example: An introvert may need a day of silence after a weekend wedding or a long gathering of the family not because he is rude but because he has to.

Best observers, emotionally intelligent and soft hearted:

Introverts are said to be is emotionally intuitive and empathetic; not because they are excessively emotional, but because they are attentive listeners and observers.

Research (e.g., Lieberman, 2007) indicates that introverts have greater tendency of processing emotional information more thoroughly, so they are more sensitive to the moods of others.

This makes them very good friends, partners, counsellors and tutors.

Example: An introvert might pick up the slightest change in someone, in the tone of voice, or a body language and politely ask what is up with them long before most people do.

Dislike of being falsely social:

Introverts do not like superficial discussions. It is not a snob factor; it is something that is inbuilt in their brains. After a small talk a person mentally feels exhausted whereas meaningful or emotionally deep talk may energize. They can be shy when it comes to talking to groups at work but able to shine in 1-on-1 environments.

Example: An introvert may be silent in the face of small talk at a social gathering but will end spread his or her time on the subject of philosophy, books or science with one curious individual.